Planning for Infrastructure

Planning for Infrastructure Local Plan Objective 6 Aim: To ensure the right infrastructure required to support communities is provided in the right place and at the right time and make best use of existing infrastructure. Facilitate wider connectivity across Buckinghamshire and beyond. a) Ensure improved local connections within and between settlements. b) Provide and protect appropriate social infrastructure including for health, education, skills training, sports, recreation and other community facilities. c) Provide and connect green and blue infrastructure to enhance the landscape and biodiversity. d) Provide flood risk mitigation and sustainable drainage solutions, negotiating with utility companies for adequate sewerage and wastewater infrastructure. e) Encourage adequate provision of energy (gas and electricity), water and other utilities. f) Facilitate wider connectivity across Buckinghamshire and beyond. 4.20 Planning infrastructure refers to the physical aspects of the urban environment that support residential and employment needs, such as transport (including roads, footpaths, cycle lanes and bus provision); community (including education, healthcare places of worship, libraries and community halls); recreation (including parks and sports provision); and utilities (water, sewer, gas, electricity, phone, broadband). 4.21 The Local Plan plans for adequate levels of infrastructure in-line with new development and in the most appropriate locations. In collaboration with key infrastructure providers the Baseline Infrastructure Study (BIS) was prepared to understand current and anticipated future infrastructure quality and capacity issues. The study found that: a) While the capacity of many infrastructure providers is currently coping, there are some that are stretched beyond capacity, such as healthcare, Special Education Needs and Disabilities, and a Household Recycling Centre in the north of Buckinghamshire. b) Infrastructure providers have different strategies to deal with future capacity issues. Some react to situations that become apparent through frequent monitoring and review, while others take a longer-term strategic approach. For example, planning for early years and childcare tends to be short/medium term (2.5 to 5 years), as factors such as population changes affect the sustainability of providers in the market. 4.22 Work on water quality and wastewater (water cycle study) has identified that areas in Buckinghamshire will require upgrades to accommodate increased wastewater pressures from development. There are 73 wastewater treatment works within or serving Buckinghamshire, 41 of which are likely to be close to (including Haddenham), or to have exceeded their flow permit by the end of the Local Plan period (2045) (including Aylesbury, Buckingham, Long Crendon, Princes Risborough, Slough, Steeple Claydon and Winslow). Future development in these locations is likely to require an increase in permit limits and /or upgrades to treatment capacity. This will have implications for delivery lead in time and may delay some sites later in the plan period. Evidence on water quality suggests most receiving watercourses in Buckinghamshire may be sensitive to an increase in wastewater, which potentially impacts their ability to reach or maintain Good Ecological Status, as required under the European Water Framework Directive. There are several poorly performing storm overflows (including Tingewick, Whaddon, Steeple Claydon), and development in these locations require upgrades. 4.23 The findings from the Baseline Infrastructure Study, together with other infrastructure studies, and close collaboration with key infrastructure providers has inform the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) for the Local Plan, which sets out what type and level of infrastructure required, together with its location and timeframe, to support future development. 4.24 To help identify sustainable locations for future development, which provide proximity to services and facilities, employment and transportation options, a Settlement Review was carried out. This gathered information on the services and facilities found within existing settlements of 100 people and above in Buckinghamshire, as well other information including populations, numbers of employment premises and public transport provision. Using this data, each settlement was placed into one of five tiers reflecting how sustainable that location can be, to inform the Plan’s spatial strategy and to help identify development needs. Settlements identified in the top three tiers are: Table 1: Settlement Hierarchy for Tiers 1 to 3 Tier 1 – Major urban areas which have all the services and facilities which were looked at (such as food shops, primary and secondary schools and a post office), more than a hundred employment premises and excellent public transport Aylesbury and High Wycombe Tier 2- Large market or other towns which have all the services and facilities but fewer employment premises and at least good public transport Amersham, Beaconsfield, Buckingham, Chalfont St Peter & Gerrards Cross, Chesham, Marlow, Princes Risborough, Wendover Tier 3 – Small market towns or other large settlements which have most of the services and facilities, at least five employment premises and good public transport Aston Clinton, Burnham, Chalfont St Giles, Farnham Common, Great Missenden, Haddenham, Iver, Little Chalfont, Stoke Mandeville, Stokenchurch, Wing, Winslow, Wooburn and Bourne End